WOE UNTO THEM! FOR THEY HAVE GONE IN THE WAY OF CAIN, AND RAN GREEDILY AFTER THE ERROR OF BALAAM FOR REWARD, AND PERISHED IN THE GAINSAYING OF CORE

The book of Jude is only one chapter. And, ( in my opinion ) he is the voice of the common man like you and I. He is the servant of Jesus Christ that stands in the galp between the corrupt men of; even our age and the individual believers that are seeking the truth above all things.

Look at what he says in ( verse 3 ) Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

The beloved he speaks of here is you and I. We all have a common salvation or, we don’t have salvation at all. He exhorts us to ( earnestly contend ) for the faith. The same faith that was once delivered unto the saints.

We live in a very apostate age. This, as define means ( a person who renounces a religious or political belief or people ). The problem with that is ( to understand how many ways you can renounce what we believe to be truth ).

As we see here. there are three different men mentioned, all three renounce ( what we as the beloved believe ) in different ways and, for different reasons.

So, let’s look at Cain. Cain was a natural man. If we look at ( 1 Corinthians 2:14 ) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

In our flesh or, in our natural state we cannot be pleasing to God the Father. ( Romans 8:8 ) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Cain rejected the blood sacrifice and sought to please God with the fruit of his own hands

When we are taught that our works are what determines our salvation or, that work must be a part of our salvation then we ( go by the way of Cain ). In the verse we are looking into; it says ( Woe unto them ) speaking of the men or pastors that teach this. First and formost, we must understand that our salvation is or, was completely settled by the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ on his Cross. Our salvation is totally by the ( works of Jesus Christ ) and there is no work we can do to merit our own salvation. Our faith in his finished works might bring about good works but, those works has noting to do with what it takes to be saved. The transformation that salvation brings should bring about good works. However, it’s the blood of Christ that we are totally dependent on for our salvation.

Would you mind if I expressed my personal thoughts about this? Let’s begin with this verse. ( Ephesians 5:25-27 )Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it; ( 26 ) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ( 27 ) That he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blimish.

In a very religious sense, in the majority of our Churches today we are trying to ( please God with the fruit of our own hands ). How are we doing that? In the average Church we never preach with the power and conviction of the Holy Spirit. We seek to teach people to be like we think they should be and, when, we think they should be that way.

When we look at the verse of scripture mentioned in ( Ephesians ) it plainly says ( the he might ). It’s Christ that desires to change you and not a local assembly. If we stop here and use the Apostle Peter for an example; what can we learn? Jesus Christ had been placed on the Cross, died and rose again long before the Apostle Peter ever even come close to being all Christ desired him to be.

In our Churches we don’t like putting up with the ( spiritually immature ) believers and we will even consider them as still lost. When we have ( children in the flesh ) it takes time for them to grow to maturity, spiritually, we don’t have the patience for that. We become phariseeical in our way of looking at things. We set the growth pattern of those that say they are saved and will not allow the Holy Spirit to do so. Therefore, if we consider people, by their actions to still be lost then we ( cast them out ).

Now, I’ll show you one other verse we are very guilty of in our ( religiously minded Churches ) Romans 2:15 ) Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another: )

Exactly what does that mean? It means, if we like someone, we’ll put up with what they do. ( excuse them ) but, if we don’t like someone ( we accuse them ). Is that not like the pharisees?

He says ( WOE UNTO THEM ) The way it is designed to work is that a true pastor preaches with the power of the Holy Spirit. In other words, it’s God speaking and not him. This power is going to do one of two things. You are either going to be ( cleansed, washed by the word ) or, you will not stay in that ( spirit filled Church ).

The design of our Churches today is set by the ( mindsets of professors in universities ) and not by the Spirit of God. They have built a system where we teach people how they should live to suit them and not God the Father.

As a matter of fact, our Churches set a very low expectation of what we might be called ( spirituallity ) or what we would consider spiritual maturity. We are even very careful how much of the true spiritual teaching we do, not ever to be offensive to sinners. Our Churches are more concerned with numbers that they are spiritual groweth.

(Woe unto )! any pastor or teacher that teaches or falls into this trap!

The next pharse and man we see is ( Balaam ) ( And ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward. What was or, is meant by the ( error of Balaam )? Because of the weakness of our flesh, the flesh of all men, these two men can be closely tied together. However, Balaam assumed, reasoning from natural morality and, seeing the evil in Israel, God had to curse them.

I feel it necessary to point out all three things we see in scripture about Balaam. ( The error of Balaam ) ( The doctrine of Balaam ) and ( the way of Balaam ).

We see the ( error ). I often tell people that the only person that I can say for sure that has salvation is me. It’s actually the same with saying someone does not know Jesus Christ or, saying they are lost, I can’t judge them. When we look at a person and believe that they have to be cursed ( so to speak ) because of the evil we see in them then we commit the ( error of Balaam ).

The promise that God made to Israel and the blessings thereof were not based on anything Israel did or didn’t do. God’s promise to Israel still stands fast. Israel will inherit this earth. Do you think Israel’s actions caught God by surprize? I think not. Everything we see in scripture is going perfectly according to God’s plan.

Balaam assumed! t That was his error. When a pastor assumes, that becomes his error. ( woe unto him )! Can I insert some things here that I’ll even say I have been guilty of in years past? Far too often we are more concerned about how our Church looks, how we are seen as a church because of the actions of people, our members than we are the actual salvation of the souls we say we love. ( we assume ). We cast people aside when we don’t agree with how they live or, what sin they struggle with, ( assuming ) since they are not like we are, we can curse them because that’s what God’s going to do. We don’t want our Church to be spotted or, the pastor doesn’t want to be seen by his peers as allowing things that others won’t put up with.

What we fail to understand in the ( error we make ) is that God loves sinners and so should we. Just as God took Israel under his wing and works with them, even until this day; we should do ( born again sinners ) the same way. Salvation, when it happens to a new born believer, does not in any way make that person perfect. It becomes our responsibility as believers to except them as they are and, help them grow to spiritual maturity. Pastors and many beleievers ( assume ) people are not saved just because of their childish sins, to which we should help them grow and see what God expects of them. ( Woe unto us if we don’t )!

Do you realize that ( if your pastor is Spirit filled ) and, you say you are ( born again ) you have the very same Spirit in you he has in him? Therefore, as you grow spiritually, you have the same responsibilities as he does, what’s the difference?

For example: as you sit in Church, you notice a new believer that is struggling to overcome a certian sin. Why don’t you go and visit them, taking them under your wing and, become their spiritual leader, one on one. Forget Sunday School and even Church, work with them as the days go by. Why not? Far too often we simply become critical, even of our pastor or Church leaders because they don’t fix them or dismiss them. ( we assume ) that since they are not like us, the must be cursed.

THE WAY OF BALAAM

2 PETER 2:15

WHICH HAVE FORSAKEN THE RIGHT WAY, AND ARE GONE ASTRAY, FOLLOWING THE WAY OF BALAAM THE SON OF BOSOR, WHO LOVE THE WAGES OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS:

Balaam has a gift, shall we say ( God Given )? He was a prophet. As he watched Israel and realized their ungodliness he began to listen to someone else, to be led by another. We see this in ( Numbers 22 ) Since ( he assumed that God had to curse Israel he listened and, agreed to take ( gain )for himself, from another to curse Israel.

( In my opinion ) God the Father, through the voice of the Holy Spirit is the only person that any person or pastor should ever listen to. When we involve ( money ) in that picture, it becomes a problem. In other words; no pastor is every hired by any man or group of men. This is or, can be considerd ( the way of Balaam ).

The Apostle Paul is the Apostle to the Church. We can see in his letters to the Church that he said ( he learned that whatsoever state he was in, therewith to be content. I know how to be abased and, to abound. ( Philippians 4: 11-13 ). Let’s consider this for a while. A man is never led to come as pastor to a Church. He is led by God to come to an area. Let’s say a man is led to an area and, it happen to be a Church in that area that is seeking a pastor. The man comes and preaches to those people in that perspective Church. Well, once he’s there and begins to preach with the Power of God by the Holy Spirit; the people don’t like his stands and chooses to dismiss him. Therefore, why not simply go and rent a building in that area, still preaching with the same power.

If that doesn’t happen, was it money, people or something else that really led him to that place? If a man comes to your Church, seeking to be your pastor, In your communication with him, he sets a certian salary that it will take for him to come. What is his true motivation? ( The way of Balaam ) has become a real problem in our local Churches. In most cases, the members dictate what is taught therefore, they are willing to pay whatsoever they need to; that they might have a pastor to say what they like to hear.

More than likely, if a man came, by chance, with the power of the Holy Spirit upon him. If that Church asked him how much it would take for him to come and , he answered: I don’t want your money, I’ll find a job if need be. My desire is to preach with God’s power and, to see people truly saved, and growing in his grace. More than likely he’ll be rejected.

Often, in our religious schools, we are taught ( the way of Balaam ). We want money to deliver the message you like and, we also reject those that are not like us. ( WOE UNTO THEM )!

THE DOCTRINE OF BALAAM

REVELATION 2:14

BUT I HAVE A FEW THINGS AGAINST THEE, BECAUSE THOU HAST THERE THEM THAT HOLD THE DOCTRINE OF BALAAM, WHO TAUGHT BALAC TO CAST A STUMBLINGBLOCK BEFORE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, TO EAT THINGS SACRIFICED UNTO IDOLS, AND TO COMMIT FORNICATION.

Actually, ( the doctrine of Balaam ) or what he desired to do was to corrupt Israel. He could not curse them therefore, he set out to corrupt them. We need to consider something here. Look at this phrase in ( Ephesians 5:26 ) THAT HE MIGHT SANCTIFY AND CLEANSE IT . If you will notice the word ( it ) signifies a thing. ( The Church ) is that thing. Just as Israel was ( a thing ) in that respect. The nation of Israel ( that thing ) was filled with people. ( The Church ) is filled with people. Each of those people are responsible for their own spiritual wellbeing.

Look at this verse: ( 2 Peter 1:10 ) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

In ( Revelation 2 ) Jesus is speaking to individual Churches, seven of them to be exact. He is not addressing the ( universal Church ). Within each of these seven Churches, more than likely there were people that were doing exactly what the Apostle Peter were telling them to but, the local Church itself was corrupt, the leadership was corrupt. The doctrine of those Churches were basically not pleasing to our Lord.

God never intended for us to fall in love with a building. His desire for his Church is to search the scriptures, to know truth as revealed by the Holy Spirit. This, therefore to have (it ) ( the universal ) ( the body of Christ ) sanctified and washed by his word and not by man.

I truly believe that there are many pastors, members of local Churches and whole denominations that are following to doctrine of Balaam and don’t even realize they are not pleasing to God. The problem is; how do you spiritually open their eyes that they might see? If you read ( Numbers 22:21- 21 ) you see that Balaam’s ass was enabled to speak to him and reveal truth to him, to stop what he was attempting to do.

Now, I want you to notice another verse of scripture: ( 1 Corinthians 6:4 ) If then ye have judgements of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the Church.

In this Church, if you will study through the previous chapters you will see that corruption had set in. The men that were suppossingly the leaders were putting up with, excepting this corruption. The Apostle Paul said to allow the least esteemed among you to judge in these matters.

As far as the leadership, well educated in the average Church, they would never listen to ( the least esteemed. However, is that not the same picture as ( Balaam and the dumb ass )? Who would have ever thought that a donkey would be more apt to listen to the spirit of God that ( what we consider ) God’s man?

When we stop loving pastors, people and building and, begin to fall in love with God’s word to the point we stand on that word against all others, then we have reached the diligence of the calling God desires for his Church to reach.

THE GAINSAYING OF CORE ( JUDE 1:11 )

This is referring back to Korah in ( Numbers 16;30-31) But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit: then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord. ( 31 ) And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, the ground clave assunder that was under them: ( 32 ) And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

Korah’s sin was not yielding to God’s authority. At that time it was Moses that God used to speak to his Children. Therefore, who is that God uses to speak to the Church, those that are born again today? That would be none other that the Holy Spirit that lives within each believer. It’s the believer’s that are suppose to hear that voice. If any man, being a teacher, pastor or denomination says things ar does things, excepts things contrary to what the Spirit of God within you revealed to you to be truth then we are taught ( of such to turn away ).

There was an evangelist in early centuries call ( Jonathan Edwards ). He preached a message called ( Sinners in the hands of an angry God. ) You can get that message in print today if you like. In that meesage he made a statement something like this. He said you would be stepping along, one step at a time. However, one step you take, the earth will not be there and , you will step of into a Devil’s hell, just that quick, hell will be your eternal home.

The average Church member today take very little time to truly study God’s word. We simple gobble up what men, denominations are teaching us. In reality, most are simply memebrs of a Church, baptized into that Church family but have never been born again.

In these last days, God is speaking through his Spirit just as he did to the nation of Israel. He’s saying ( seperate yourselves from this Apostate Church and, choose this day to whom you will serve. If Church people are not careful they will be stand in the wrong place, in complete ignorance of what the truth is, hell will be their eternal home.

If you would like to call me ( A dumb ass speaking ) then so be it. However, it’s actually not me I desire for you to hear. My desire is for each of you to hear God, as he speaks through and by his Holy Spirit. If he can use me as a vessel to help you see truth then to ( HIM BE ALL THE GLORY ).

My only desire is to reach those that are lost, confused and terribly mislead for his glory.

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7